ExtremeRavens Posted Monday at 08:51 PM Posted Monday at 08:51 PM Ravens fullback Pat Ricard is eyeing Oct. 26, a Week 8 matchup against the Chicago Bears after their bye week, to return from a calf injury that has sidelined him since training camp. It’s been a point of confusion among Baltimore’s lengthy injury woes. Coach John Harbaugh has previously spoken in generalities about Ricard’s status, while the team kept him off injured reserve — a sign they believed it would not be a prolonged recovery. Ricard hasn’t practiced since Aug. 14. On Monday, Harbaugh admitted the injury was supposed to be a 2-3 week ordeal, which would have had him back on the field at least in time for Week 2 versus Cleveland, before the veteran All-Pro “retweaked” it. “It was a surprise deal for us,” Harbaugh said. “I’m just gonna be honest.” The original 2-3 week timeline turned into another 2-3 weeks before he’d be able to play. Harbaugh called it a “slow burn,” acknowledging that if they knew Ricard’s injury would sideline him this long, they would have put him on injured reserve much sooner. That would have afforded Baltimore an extra roster spot. Instead, the Friday before the Ravens traveled to Kansas City, Harbaugh said Ricard was still in “rehab mode” and that he was unsure if “week to week” was a fair designation. “Nobody’s more frustrated than Pat,” Harbaugh said. “That’s been a tough one.” The Ravens play one game in the next 20 days, giving Ricard — and all the rest of Baltimore’s injured starters — a recovery runway for that Bears game. “If he makes it,” Harbaugh said, of that late-October game, “great. If he doesn’t make it, then whoever we play after the Bears, it’ll be that game.” Baltimore plays at Miami on a Thursday night on Oct. 30 after the Bears game. Without Ricard in tow, the Ravens’ ground game has struggled mightily. They rank 16th in rushing yards per game, after topping the league a year ago. The Ravens’ 5.5 yards per carry are second best in the league — a figure ballooned by the fact they’re bottom-five in attempts. Derrick Henry said the run game is “just not clicking right now.” Part of that blame falls on an offensive line that ranks 12th in the NFL in run blocking. Ricard, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, would certainly help. Practice squad tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden has backfilled at fullback in a smaller sampling thus far. Harbaugh didn’t shed much light on the laundry list of other injuries hampering the Ravens. Baltimore escaped a 44-10 drubbing at the hands of the Houston Texans without any more injuries. When asked about Lamar Jackson’s status for Sunday against the Rams, as he nurses a hamstring injury, Harbaugh coupled in “the other guys” — safety Kyle Hamilton (groin), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), middle linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (calf) and Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring) — saying that they’re in the process of determining individual timelines. Jackson’s initial diagnosis suggested he could miss a couple of weeks. “There will be some number of those guys back,” Harbaugh said, vaguely. “How many is up in the air. It won’t be everybody. We’ll have a pretty good handle on who those guys are as the week goes on. We should be in better shape than we were last game.” It can’t get much worse. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard and quarterback Lamar Jackson stand together during a 2024 practice. It's possible both players miss Sunday's game vs. the Rams, with Ricard definitely expected to sit out. The Ravens hope to get the fullback onto the field in late October. (Kim Hairston/Staff) View the full article Quote
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